Tracy Morgan has apologized for a homophobic rant during a performance in Nashville in which he joked about stabbing his son to death if he were gay and talked to him in a sterotypically gay voice.

“I want to apologize to my fans and the gay & lesbian community for my choice of words at my recent stand-up act in Nashville,” Morgan said in a statement to the Huffington Post.

“I’m not a hateful person and don’t condone any kind of violence against others,” he added. “While I am an equal opportunity jokester, and my friends know what is in my heart, even in a comedy club this clearly went too far and was not funny in any context.”

A gay man who attended the show recounted the remarks on Facebook. They appear to be far more extreme than the remark that got Isaiah Washington, the last primetime star accused of such homophobic comments, fired from “Grey’s Anatomy.” ….

NBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Morgan, who is known for outlandish behavior and sometimes tasteless comments, has one advantage that could help him ride out the coming barrage of criticism: “30 Rock” doesn’t return to NBC until midseason.

No worries “30 Rock” fans. Morgan’s politics are correct enough to save him here. And he works for NBC where trashing Sarah Palin in misogynist ways is a form of inoculation against little things like jocking about killing gays.